Title: Lingering Shadows
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Mutant X characters, and may occasionally
include a few of my own as the work progresses.
Feedback: Feedback and reviews are greatly appreciated. Sorry this one is so
short.
Chapter 2: Caged Rage
"No! Focus, you must focus!" Walking over to the young man in front of him, Master Li slapped Kage Musuko across the face. "Never let your inner demons surface." Grunting, Master Li walked away in disgust. "That's it for today. We will continue tomorrow. Kage, you will never be ready until you can control your thoughts, emotions, and actions to conquer your enemy. Until then, you will never be your own master. " Bowing, Kage grimly watched his master leave the room. Shaking his head he slowly brought his hand up to his face, the stinging still present. Gathering his gear, Kage left the training room. Walking mindlessly, Kage found himself in front of his usual spot in the gardens. Vast and beautiful, the gardens of the dojo offered lots of tranquility but little privacy. A beautiful aged oak sheltered a lovely alcove. The immense tree blocked the view of anyone passing by while Kage meditated. It was this privacy and peace that he sought out now.
Sitting down and crossing his legs, within minutes Kage found himself in a deep state of meditation. Such a state was not easy to achieve, but after meditating for years Kage had mastered it. While breathing deeply, images began rushing past him. Pictures of his deformed grandmother and her deceased husband, intense voices full of anger, the cries of his mother late at night and the pain and sadness that managed to creep into her voice when she was tired. As the minutes passed by a deep seated rage began building in Kage's core, burning him from the inside out. Quickly forming a sphere within his core, Kage tried to contain his rage. Unable to keep it in, a loud thunderous cry escaped his throat as he opened his eyes and jumped up. Grabbing his gear, Kage ran to his living quarters and packed all his belongings. Hearing the noise, Master Li walked in on Kage's mad attempt to pack quickly.
"Kage, you are not ready." Hearing only the beat of his own heart, Kage turned to push his master away, concentrating his chi and keeping his body centered. Upon making contact, Kage felt a rush of psionic energy flow out of his being into Master Li's. Watching as the man's beard turned grayer and his eyes glaze over, Kage pulled back in time to avoid the man's body as it slumped over. Full of self satisfaction, the young man slowly stepped away from the lifeless body. Bowing before the deflated form, Kage smirked humorlessly as he rose up.
"It seems I am my own master now." Grabbing his belongings, Kage left the dojo without sparing a glance back. Moving forward, he traveled from one city to the next, quickly gaining the attention of powerful men in need of someone with Kage's skills and lack of moral reserves. Accepting one job after the another, Kage Musuko quickly established his reputation as a brutal and expensive mercenary. Unconcerned about the lives he affected, Kage used these opportunities to hone his skills until the day he would be ready for his enemies.
ELECTION DAY
After spotting his target, Kage wandered through the crowd and positioned himself for the take down.
"Today, Senator Folken is confident that the voters will reelect him to office. As you can see behind me, the Senator and family are preparing to celebrate once the votes have all be counted. Senator Folken began his journey in politics as the young age of 23, acting as a liason for the Department of Defense and the White House during Truman's Presidency. …"
Looking up at the television, Kage squinted as he recognized the role Senator Folken held during WWII. Turning back to reassess his target, Kage sped up to several miles an hour before ramming into the older man. Killing him upon impact, Kage ran out of the vicinity before anyone realized what had happened. Accepting his payment, Kage quickly refused to accept other jobs and began his own mission. Senator Folken was the first, but not the last one to feel the wrath of Kage on behalf of his family. Several members of the U.S. government began dying, causing a general scare throughout Washington, D.C. As the threat worsened, security measures tripled until even the tightest security available failed. Revealing once and for all, there was no escape from this new threat.